EEC Management Bulletin: EMB FY 2008 - 02

Synopsis: Clarifies that existing reimbursement policies apply to child care provided through Family Child Care Systems in all EEC-funded care, including income eligible, supportive, teen parent and homeless child care through contracts or vouchers; describes when, and under what circumstances Systems may bill for services and explains when fees are/are not charged to families. For more information, email bulletinquestions@massmail.state.ma.us

1.0. Reimbursement to Family Child Care Providers

Family Child Care Systems (Systems) must reimburse family child care providers for each day that they are reimbursed by EEC at a rate equal to, or greater than, the regional rate for the Tier in which the System has qualified. Systems cannot bill for days in excess of the fourteen pre-approved closure days where an affiliated family child care provider is closed and unavailable to provide care 1. Providers will not be reimbursed for unscheduled closings that are within the provider's control 2, except when substitute care is offered and provided.

1.1 Circumstances Where a System May Bill for Substitute Care Services

Systems may bill for substitute care services and must pay the provider who delivers the care. When substitute care is offered and refused by a family, a System cannot bill EEC for any days where direct care is not provided, except:

When families have given their providers insufficient notice prior to leaving care (10 or 15 service days depending on the type of care) 4.

For days closed due to extreme weather conditions when appropriately documented. Excessive closings or closings considered unwarranted will be reviewed and may be disqualified from payment 5.

If substitute care is offered and accepted by the family for a specific day, but then the child does not attend, the System may bill EEC for the absence (in accordance with EEC's policies regarding explained, unexplained and excessive absences) and must pay the substitute care provider the direct care portion of the rate.

If the System has a Provider Agreement stating that it will not pay its affiliated providers for vacation days, sick days, personal days, etc., and therefore a child's routine provider does not bill the System for such days, the System cannot bill EEC for such days, unless substitute care was provided by one of its other affiliated providers.

1.2 Documentation Requirements

Systems should document a parent/guardian's acceptance of substitute care for particular days. The documentation should include the date the parent/guardian agreed to the substitute care and confirmation that the substitute care provider had capacity to care for the children in need of substitute care on the relevant date(s). This documentation should be readily available for review by EEC, CCR&Rs, auditors and/or any other relevant state agency/official. Documenting a child's absence from either the child's regular provider or the child's substitute care provider should be conducted in accordance with EEC's attendance policies.

1.3 Parent Fees

When a Family Child Care System bills EEC for a child, the parent of that child must be charged the appropriate parent fee (e.g., due to illness, vacation, and approved closures. When a System cannot bill for a certain day (e.g., an unapproved closure or a family refuses substitute care), the parent must not be charged a parent fee for that day 6.

1.4 Familiarize Families with Alternative Substitute Care

Systems should inform families upon enrollment about the availability of substitute care, and if interested, families should be encouraged to visit and select at least one substitute care provider that they might consider using in the event of an unapproved closure day by their regular provider.

1.5 Unapproved Closure Days: eCCIMS Code Indicator

If there is an unapproved closure and the parent refuses substitute care, the System cannot bill for that child and must enter "UC" as the code for an unapproved closure.

1 See EMB FY 2008-02S, Section 1.2.

2 See EMB FY 2008-02S, Section 1.5.

3 See EEC Policy Guide Section 7.2.1, allowing a maximum of two weeks (10 service days) vacation per child per year as "explained absences"; and Section 7.2.2 (defining excessive absences). See also EMB FY 2008-02S.